Using a nebulizer
nebulizer · nebulizer treatment · breathing treatment · nebulized medicine
A nebulizer turns liquid medicine into a fine mist. You breathe it in calmly through a mask or mouthpiece.
For bronchitis with shortness of breath, asthma, croup in children, and other lung conditions, as your doctor prescribes.
⏱ Duration: usually 5 to 15 minutes per treatment
Be sure to tell your doctor
How to prepare
- Medicine. Use only what your doctor prescribed, at that dose. Dilute it with saline, usually. Do not use tap water.
- Timing. Usually at least an hour after a meal.
- Device. Read the nebulizer instructions before the first use.
What to bring
- Your nebulizer and mask or mouthpiece
- The prescribed medicine and saline
How it goes
- Wash your hands
- Pour the medicine into the nebulizer cup
- Attach the mask or mouthpiece and turn the device on
- Sit up straight and breathe calmly through your mouth
- Keep breathing until the mist stops
- Turn off the device. After steroid medicines, rinse your mouth
What you'll feel
- Usually nothing unpleasant
- Some medicines can cause a racing heart or slightly shaky hands
Afterwards
- Rinse the cup and mask with warm water and let them dry
- Clean the parts regularly, as the instructions say
- Do not put oils, herbs, or herbal teas in a nebulizer
Contact a doctor straight away if
- Shortness of breath gets worse, it is hard to talk, or lips turn blue: call emergency services
- A child has a barking cough with noisy breathing that does not get better after the treatment: call emergency services
Common questions
Can I use mineral water in the nebulizer?
Only if your doctor said so. Saline is usually used to dilute medicines.
Can I use it with a fever?
Usually yes, if your doctor prescribed it. Hot steam inhalations are different. They are not done with a fever.